Hip-Hop Flows All Night At Juice

As day three of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival went down, the Juice Hip-Hop Exhibition showcased every element of Hip-Hop. From the classic way of dancing, to the emcees, even the DJs who kept the crowd going. Juice effortlessly flowed from sequence to sequence and the performers never missed a beat.

Juice first opened up with an exhibition of art by way of sneakers, portraits and tagged-up mannequins. The sneaker gallery consisted of three photographers who each took a pair of 33 High Patrick Ewing’s and showed their respected cities through the eyes of their lens, not to mention, the artwork that was presented. Three very different mediums, but they all had a common love for both Hip-Hop and the urban life.

From there, we then heard the sounds of DJ Midnite, who brought nothing but classic Hip-Hop to our ears. Although the crowd was that of a younger one, it’s safe to say that most of them knew the lyrics to all the songs played. From there, we saw a little bit of everything from dancing, to mixing, even a freestyle from a few up-and-coming rappers. Hosted by The Wiz Kid, we saw nothing less of a live, hype crowd that vibed out and chanted the lyrics to some of Hip-Hop’s hottest records both past and present.

Taylor Bennett

Not too long after, we began to see performances from the emcees. They were broken down into three regions, the midwest, the south, and the east coast. Taylor Bennett took to the stage repping the Midwest (Chicago) at his first New York performance. His energy not only kept the crowd going, but it also earned him plenty of newfound fans. To say he did a great job would be an understatement, plus being an independent artist separates him from many aspiring and solidified rappers in the game.

Next, we heard the down south vibes of DJ Kat Daddy Slim. Outkast, T.I., and Ludacris, along with many others blaring through the speakers and brought some people down memory lane. Afterward, South Carolina rapper Nick Grant began to captivate the ears of the crowd with songs off of his ‘88 mixtape. He especially caught the crowd’s attention with his profession of black pride, while taking it back by rapping over the Biggie’s classic record, “Unbelievable”. In short, Nick Grant who also was performing in NY for the first time, showed that you don’t have to be a Hip-Hop heavyweight to be good at what you do.

Lite Feet Nation

Finally, we took it back up north to the east coast with Chrybaby Cozie & The Lite Feet Nation. Their dance moves showed that even after ten years, the lite feet movement is here to stay and isn’t going anywhere. Following their showcase, B. Seth and Vianica both performed with incredible talent. Their skills almost made it look easy to do, but of course takes time, dedication, and a whole lot of practice.

Kerim The DJ came on to the scene not only DJing, but also showing off his drumming skills by way of drum pad. He caught the crowd off-guard while breaking them out during his set and went on for about a minute and a half. As soon as he stopped, the crowd erupted into cheers of both surprise and excitement. Especially after mixing Drake’s “Controlla” over Sade’s “Sweetest Taboo”.

Your Old Droog

Last but certainly not least, Your Old Droog took the stage and shut it down for Brooklyn. His sound alone is very reminiscent to one of the greatest to ever do it, which is only part of how he kept the crowd’s attention. Being relatable, he talked about what it’s like having to rely on public transportation, which resulted in the chant “**** the MTA!” As well as describing his desire to get a girl who loves Hip-Hop just as much as he does. Even his song “42”, which was an ode to arguably the most iconic location in New York City, Times Square proves that this won’t be the last we see or hear of Your Old Droog.

Mr. DT201

We’re excited to say, know and believe that Juice was not only a success, but also successfully and effortlessly flowed from region to region. In addition, it gave an excellent warm up for the Finale Concert at both the main and second stages. Each aspect gave insight on what it’s like to dwell within the culture of Hip-Hop both as the fan and as the artist.